[Question #1189] Barber shop

100 months ago

Yesterda i was getting shave and the barber me a few cuts with the razor, after when he was looking for a towel ro clean my neck he got a little cut on his finger which i did not notice untill he cleaned me. If my cuts got in touch with his, can i get hiv?

100 months ago

Yesterday i was getting shave and the barber made a few small cuts with the razor, after when he was looking for a towel to clean my neck he got a little cut on his finger which i did not notice untill he cleaned me. If my cuts got in touch with his, can i get hiv?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

100 months ago

Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question. You did not need to re-post it after only 2 hours. Questions are answered within 24 hours and often within 8 hours, but not immediately unless a moderator happens to log in about that time.

Nobody get HIV from exposures of blood on intact skin. Recent shaving doesn't increase that risk. Even if you had an open shaving cut, and if the barber has HIV, you would be at little or no risk. To avoid HIV your entire life, have only safe sex (or mutually monogamous sex) and don't share drug injection equipment with anyone. Do not worry about any other exposures; they result in HIV transmission extremely rarely if ever.

I hope this has helped. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

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100 months ago

Dr thanms for your answer. My question was indeed i had a cew cut made by the raZor, i had a litle blood from the and i am afraid if his blood came across with mine

100 months ago

Dr. I just need to knw if by anychamce his cut touched mines is there a risk of hiv?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

100 months ago

There have never been any proved HIV transmission by this kind of contact. I cannot say the risk is zero, but it is low enough that you should ignore it. There is no need for testing, and if you are sexually active with a regular partner, you can safely continue that relationship without worry of giving the person HIV.

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99 months ago

Thanks, i will try to let it go

99 months ago

It has been 12 days and i has been anxcious about this event. I had soar troath on the weekend and today i am looking for symptoms related to ars. Just by knowing there is a chamce i could get hiv from this event makes me sick. What should i do, how long after an exposure can symptoms appear?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

99 months ago

What do you mean by "knowing there is a chance" you could get HIV from this event? Did you not read or just not believe my replies above? There is no realistic chance of it. And your symptoms are not suggestive of HIV anyway. This is truly an irrational fear. And sore throat without other symptoms is almost never due to HIV. If you were to develop typical symptoms it would have occurred by now, typical onset 7-10 days after exposure.

However, since you are so frightened, have an HIV test, preferably a duo test, which will be conclusive in another couple of weeks, i.e. 28 days after the event. I suggest it not because I really believe there was some risk. I do not. But perhaps the negative result will help you get over this more effectively than my reassurance.

That completes the two follow-up comments and replies included with each question and so ends this thread. Please note that repetative, anxiety driven questions are against forum policy. Please do not post another question about this exposure and your fears about it. The answers will not change, no matter what additional symptoms or other worries that might come up.

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